WASHINGTON/DUBAI/JERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump has suggested he might support Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran but refrained from confirming any specific course of action, deepening uncertainty over the conflict’s future direction.
As Israeli airstrikes continued targeting Iranian positions and panic gripped the streets of Tehran, Trump told reporters that he had not yet made a final decision. “I may do it. I may not do it,” he remarked. “Nobody knows what I’m going to do.”
The ambiguous statement sparked global speculation about potential US involvement in the intensifying Middle East crisis.
Trump later mentioned that Iranian officials had expressed interest in coming to Washington for talks, adding that such a meeting “may” happen but suggesting it might be “a little late” for diplomacy.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Germany, France, and the UK are expected to hold nuclear discussions with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva. The talks aim to secure firm commitments from Tehran that its nuclear activities remain confined to peaceful civilian purposes.
Reports suggest that Trump has reviewed military plans for strikes on Iran but has delayed giving final approval, hoping Iran might step back from its nuclear ambitions. When asked whether he believed Iran’s leadership could collapse under the pressure of Israeli military operations, Trump responded, “Sure, anything could happen.”
Addressing concerns over Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility, Trump noted, “We’re the only ones that have the capability to do it. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to do it – at all.” Analysts believe Israel may require US assistance to neutralize the heavily fortified site.
In Tehran, widespread panic prompted residents to flee the city. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected Trump’s demands and issued a stern warning: “Any US military intervention will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage.” He emphasized that Iran would not respond to threats and would never surrender.
Iranian authorities reported that Israel’s latest strikes had targeted and destroyed their police headquarters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel was methodically eliminating threats from Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure. “We control the skies over Tehran,” he declared in a video message. “We are striking with tremendous force.”
Netanyahu thanked Trump for his support, saying the two were in close contact as the conflict progressed.
Trump, meanwhile, alternated between proposing diplomatic solutions and making provocative statements online, including calls for Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” and references to eliminating Iranian leadership figures.
Sources indicate the US president and his advisors are weighing multiple options, including active military support for Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iran’s diplomatic mission responded on social media by dismissing Trump as “a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance.”
According to Israel’s military, dozens of fighter jets carried out strikes in and around Tehran and western Iran, targeting missile production and assembly sites.
In Israel, missile alerts were triggered again, with minor injuries reported. Authorities later announced that civilians could leave protected shelters, indicating the immediate threat had subsided.
At a Tel Aviv train station, some residents took refuge overnight. “I feel scared and overwhelmed,” said a woman holding her infant daughter. “We live in an area that seems to be targeted, and our buildings are old and unsafe.”
Iranian authorities report over 220 deaths, most of them civilians, though the figure has not been updated recently. In Israel, nearly 400 missiles have been fired from Iran since Friday, with around 40 breaching air defences and killing 24 civilians.
US officials confirmed that a military flight had been used to evacuate some diplomatic staff from Israel.
Iran, seeking leverage amid the escalating crisis, has hinted at restricting access to the Strait of Hormuz—critical to global oil shipping. Domestically, authorities have sought to prevent panic by limiting the dissemination of destruction footage and imposing temporary internet restrictions.
Iran’s capacity to retaliate through regional proxies has been diminished by Israeli operations against Hezbollah and Hamas in earlier conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.
As the conflict enters a dangerous new phase, global leaders are watching closely for any sign of further escalation—or possible de-escalation—amid the ongoing turmoil.
